From The Very Beginning
by gleeloved
Summary: Rachel Berry could ask for nothing more having the two most perfect fathers in the world. So when life robbed her of that only joy, she finds herself having to lead her life with a new family. But what if that life included living in the home of the boy she had loved from the very beginning? A/U Finchel fic.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not have any relation to Glee or any of the writers on Fox. Purely fictional.

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From the very beginning, she was in love with him. She hasn't mean to, she just does. Often, she would tell herself that it was some form of infatuation; something that would fizzle away into a memory when she was older. But it didn't. If she could, she would wish that she wouldn't be in love with him. The entire high school population adored him, and oh she wished she wasn't one of those who would fantasise about the boy. She was much too mature to know better. But she does fantasise about how he might notice her though. Occasionally of course, she wasn't a creepy person. But oh dear, from the very beginning, she was and will always be in love with him. And he was a boy named Finn Hudson.

He had a girlfriend, and she was the most popular of all. A Ms Quinn Fabray. One reason why the rest of the girl community wouldn't compete for his attention was because she honestly was the prettiest at their school. Rachel calls them the IT COUPLE, along with everyone else because well, they were everything. She could go on and on about how perfect they were for each other, but that could lead to her feeling the green eyed monster so lets just leave it as, she had a love/hate relationship about them.

It was one Friday afternoon, when she would be in the hallways alone because everyone knew better than to hang around unless it was absolutely necessary. She sighed audibly, as she stuffed her slushied sweater in her bag. She absolutely had it with the day. It wasn't going well, very much like the rest of her high school life, but today, it was just the worse. There was nothing else more terrible that could take place. Or so she thought. Because when she heard the news, she squeezed her eyes shut and took everything that had happened before to be a blessing.

Everything happened in a flurry right after. She was the only child, so really she had to absorb every little detail about the car crash. First, there was the call from the hospital. Then, there were the questions by the police. Right after, there were these interviews by the local news because Lima was a small town and every single accident would never go unnoticed.

Rachel Berry barely had time to process anything, and that included the realisation of losing both her fathers in one night. But just when everyone that bothered her finally dispersed, she found herself sitting on the couch in her lifeless living room. Empty boxes were sprawled across the carpet her daddy so painstakingly chose with her, and all she could do was to wish it was just a dream. Tears were springing, but she willed herself to be strong.

The night seemed darker than usual, much colder than before, and in the Berry household, much more still than it has ever been. She allowed her eyes to roam around the room, trying to sniff every bit of her fathers' presence before reality came around and bite her in the neck again. She couldn't bear to let her eyes linger on the family portraits in the living room. But she allowed the memory of their faces to lure her to a deep slumber, one that she hoped could've lasted forever.

From the very beginning, she always had a normal life. And in one afternoon, everything had changed.

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Okay, so here I am with a new multi-chapter fic! I am sorry to say that each of these chapters would be as short as the ones in Best Fake. I guess for some readers, you would have already guessed that I'm not very good with typing out long ones cause it would take AGES for me to update! Alas, here we are with a new one and I do hope you'll love it! ;) xx


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not have any relation to Glee or any of the writers on Fox. Purely fictional.

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They told her she had a guardian. She wouldn't believe it if she had the energy to care, but as of right now, she just really missed her parents. They told her it was in the will, a Mrs Carole Hummel. All Rachel could do though, was to just sit in the child protection room, and await this kind lady who would now become her caretaker. Of course, the police referred to her as a new family member, but Rachel settled with caretaker. At this point, there really was no one else that could replace her fathers.

When she walked in, the first thing she did was to offer an embrace, much like everyone who had seen her since it happened. Murmurs of sympathy were whispered into her hair, and Rachel refused to believe any of it. Nobody would know what it was like to have a family in one day and just simply lose all of that the next. Nobody possibly could. But to make her fathers proud, she did what she was brought up to do. Rachel Berry graciously accepted the hug, nodded at the last words the police officer said and followed Mrs Hummel politely into her car.

The drive to her new home felt like it was treacherous, but in reality, she was walking up the pathway within 20 minutes. It was big, much bigger than her home, but even then she knew the size couldn't compete with the comfort she was used to. Mrs Hummel seemed like a nice lady, who called out for her two sons to help out with the luggage while Rachel was instructed to sit in the dining room for some tea. Apparently she was a poor child who shouldn't be doing anything.

Rachel felt herself getting numb to all that was happening, and despite it being a day, she was already sick of the sympathy talks. She wondered what would happen to her when she had school in two days. Her head started to ache with brewing migraines and she asked to be excused. Mrs Hummel, of course, gave in and said whatever she wanted she would have it. Honestly, Rachel just thinks that the kindness would wear off once the accident wasn't a taboo subject anymore.

She hasn't had the chance to even get a glimpse of the boys let alone thank them. Two of whom retreated back to their respective bedrooms once they did what they were told. Apparently, according to her new caretaker, they were in the same grade who attended McKinley as well. The headaches started to attack her mind, and flashes of her fathers faces emerged. Before she could utter anything else, her head fell against the dining table and the last she heard was Mrs Hummel calling for one of the them again. By the time she was in another deep slumber, she failed to see the face of the boy who had carried her up into her room.

The next day, Rachel Berry woke up to a room she had to take awhile to register. The drizzles of her fathers' faces appeared in her head again but she shoved them aside. There were many things that she had to do today, namely unpack and meet the rest of her new family. And hopefully in the midst of all of that, she could successfully forget about the lost of her loved ones.

Nobody came by to knock on the door, or even call out her name, so she presumed that the entire household slept late during the weekends. She started to wonder if this family would grow on her, and if she would also grow unto them. She hated the fact that this was very much similar to her life in high school. She never was one to have many acquaintances, let alone friends. And when her home was the one place she knew she could truly be accepted for who she is, she had to come to terms that it wasn't like this anymore.

She started to sing very softly to herself, because it was one of the most therapeutic activities she had ever come across. It first started with a whisper, and then she allowed the song to overtake how she should be feeling, just so in hopes that it could distract her from what was real. Then, the first sign of life could be heard, and she stopped.

The young girl perched upright from her position on the floor, her heart trembling with the possibility that already in the first morning, her new family despised her just like the rest of the student population. But nothing. The footsteps stopped outside her door, and it was as though her visitor remembered about something else before retreating back again.

She let out a sigh of relief, and went straight back to unpacking. By the hour before noon, she was done and had started to ease in to her new surroundings. That was when she heard the front door slam, and Mrs Hummel's call for her.

Rachel sighed, and told herself from the very beginning, she was to make her parents proud. Everything related to the Berry name was now her responsibility to uphold, and there was no way she would let them down. So she plastered a blinding smile on her face, looked at her reflection in the mirror and said,

"Here we go."

She heard feet rumbling down the stairwell, and waited for the coast to clear. She wasn't leaving until the absolute last second lest she did something embarrassing like head to the wrong room. And when the voices started to arise, she took one last look at herself before exiting her private space.

Just as the door swung open, her tiny self collided with the tallest person of the house, and she fell into the arms of the one and only Finn Hudson.

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Chapter 2, and hoping that it wasn't a disappointment from the previous one! Thank you so much for the follows though, it blew my mind that within hours of uploading, there were people willing to read this ditsy little thing :) Much love from me to you who had just finished this, xx


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not have any relation to Glee or any of the writers on Fox. Purely fictional.

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She didn't dare move. She didn't dare budge. She didn't dare breathe. She did however, blink for several times that Mr Burt Hummel asked if there was something in her eye. But even then, she refused to speak up because something could happen. Something like, Finn could hear her.

It was good that Mrs Hummel was the talker of the house because then Rachel wouldn't have to say anything that might potentially cast her as a dumb person. But even with Carole filling in on all the basic information, Rachel Berry could not keep her eyes off him. This was Finn Hudson for crying out loud. She used to dream about him noticing her, and right now, she was in his house, sitting at his table, and HAVING BRUNCH. It almost was enough for her to forget how she truly got here.

The brunette nibbled at the eggs the other son had so beautifully made. His name was Kurt Hummel, and she knew exactly who he was. He was the other student who got bullied almost as much as she did because he once confessed that he was gay. At this, Rachel's eyebrows furrowed, not knowing that he was related to the most popular guy in school. But she would save the questions later, when she would finally retrieve her voice from shock.

Mrs Hummel looked at Rachel, and patted her wrist like every older woman usually does. There were sprinkles of tears in her eyes, because Rachel could spot an almost crier from anywhere, having enough experience herself from the past couple of days. But her husband was chivalrous enough to change the topic as to why Rachel was suddenly a permanent member of the household.

Kurt nodded politely her way when he was introduced and Rachel reciprocated with a shy smile. Finn however, refused to look up from his phone and had Carole call him three times before he even gave her the remote gesture of acknowledgment. Rachel waved it away, while his mother grunted that she really did expect more of him.

The rest of the meal went rather smoothly, and Rachel found herself in the kitchen washing up with Carole when everyone was done. Her caretaker tried to ensure that she was comfortable in their home, but really, all Rachel was trying to think about was how lucky she was, despite the horrid reasons. Suddenly, this whole moving thing didn't seem to be a bad idea.

"No offence to you daddies." She said quietly, interrupting Mrs Hummel from her speech.

"Excuse me honey?" The older lady asked, confused because she was just talking about the chores every member had to do.

Rachel shook her head, and continued listening to her, delighted that most of her share was to be done when Finn was around the house.

"You could always ask Finny to help you out. I know he didn't seem very welcoming earlier, but trust me, he is much better once you get to know him." Rachel wanted to smile, awestruck that in a matter of days, she could go from admiring him from her locker to hearing his mother address him a Finny.

"That is, if he's around the house."

At this, Rachel's smile dropped a little, knowing fairly well that he must spend a lot of time with Quinn Fabray when he could afford it. Mrs Hummel didn't seem to detect the change in Rachel Berry's face and continued on, while all Rachel wanted was to perhaps go up into his room and reintroduce herself. Just so that he would finally look at her.

Of course that never happened, and instead, the other boy whom she had some curiosity for, walked in to where they were and leaned against the counter, listening as Carole finished up.

Kurt Hummel was nice, and at this, Rachel wondered why she never had the courage to talk to him before. It was not like she was homophobic, her dads taught her everything she needed to know about love despite the gender. Perhaps it was the thought that Kurt wouldn't like her for who she is. After all, she'd hate to point out that nobody really liked her in school. Any how, she finally found the opportunity to break this barrier. They were living under the same roof now, and Rachel Berry so very hoped that she could make a friend.

He smiled at her, and she thought she might cry from the way her life changed so radically. She never had anyone her age look at her with such welcoming eyes, that she wondered if it was quite possible for reality. Carole Hummel left them to 'chat', and with that, he invited her into his room.

"I know who you are." He declared bravely once they entered into his part of the house. She was amazed by the decor by it, much to his delight.

"Nobody really appreciates what I go through to get everything in place." He said proudly, as he walked over to the speakers and started blasting the Wicked soundtrack. Rachel Berry was convinced she found her soulmate.

Kurt walked to the door of his room, where she still stood and dragged her to his dresser. As he instructed for her to take a seat, he started to stare at her, as though waiting for something big to happen. Instead, she just looked around nervously, unsure of where to begin and what to do.

"You must have a lot of questions." He said softly and she nodded.

"Well, I guess I could start with the basics. My dad started dating Carole about two years ago, thanks to the introduction by me. At first, I thought it would be a good way for me to get close with the almighty Finn Hudson, because don't we all want to score some time with the quarterback?" He nudged her thumb playfully, and said it with such confidence. "Of course that plan went bust, because he started freaking out and then dad dropped the bomb on us that they were getting married so..."

He looked at her, and she nodded slowly. Kurt began to smile kindly at her again.

"I have been wanting to talk to you for a while now. Believe me, there aren't many other victims that shared the same record as me for the weekly slushie. I just didn't think you would talk to me because honestly your talent is amazing."

Rachel's eyes started to water slightly, blaming the accident for messing up her emotions recently. But she honestly didn't think she would be so lucky to have heard those words from a fellow student.

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Ch. 3 is here, just like how some of you wished I could update quickly, and oh my, I am just so astounded by the follows! You are all amazing and wonderful human beings! Remember that I'm sending virtual hugs as you're reading this! Have a good day/night ahead! xx


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I do not have any relation to Glee or any of the writers on Fox. Purely fictional.

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They spent the rest of the day talking, getting to know each other and just simply soaking in the new found friendship that blossomed over the span of five hours. By the hour sunset came, Kurt knew about her history with theatre, her involvement with after school activities, and so did she about him. She wasn't very sure what made them click, perhaps it was just the coincidence of everything.

Soon, after they started laughing about how many times they've seen Wicked, (Rachel 5, Kurt 4), they were summoned into the dining room by the parents, and it was then that they found out they were having the house to themselves.

"I would love to stay honey. But Burt has some last minute business to take care of in Washington, and I just want to be by his side. We'll be back on Monday night, but I just wished I could be here while you get accustomed to living with us Rachel." In her defence, Carole sincerely looked apologetic, and Rachel couldn't blame her.

She told her it was no matter, after all, she now had a friend in Kurt and there were so many things they had to catch up on each other, it wouldn't even seem like they were gone! Carole smiled at that, happy that the newcomer was so quickly comfortable with them.

"Well Finn's at the Fabray's so don't wait up for him. Kurt, you know the number for Breadstix, so just order whatever you want. Rachel, Kurt'll show you where everything is." Carole Hummel looked in the air, as though trying to remember something else but after a few seconds, she gave her stepson a peck on the forehead and Rachel an embrace before they really had to leave.

The car groaned into the night, and with that, the two of the house were left alone. Kurt pulled her hand to the living room where she watched him order like he's done this a million times. It must have been the case because he didn't even take a peek at the menu, and could confirm his order smoothly within minutes.

Rachel was still trying to get used to the idea of having a friend her age. She welcomed the way he seemed to be pulling her everywhere; around his room, around his house etc. She was just unsure of how long it would last. After all, the past couple of days proved that there was always the possibility of losing her loved ones.

After the quick phone call, Kurt looked at her expectantly, and she asked softly,

"You don't happen to have Funny Girl do you?"

The young Hummel boy faked a look of horror. "Do I have Funny Girl?"

And with that, as the minutes went by with Barbra Striesand singing her enormous voice out, they waited impatiently for dinner, something that Rachel later found out would always be a normal occurrence in her new life.

It wasn't until about three hours later when they were both fed, showered and worn out when they sat at the dining table drinking hot cocoa when she asked him. At first, she didn't think it was appropriate, having just known him that afternoon, but Kurt made it clear that he trusted her with what he said about liking Finn before, that she thinks it would be okay. After all, she was dying to know.

"Why haven't we heard about your relation with Finn?" She asked, as her fingers wrapped around the mug of warmth.

Kurt's thumb went around the rim of his own mug. His eyes started to lose a little focus as his voice went quiet.

"Finn never told anyone at school. And me, being one of the friendless losers, never had anyone to tell."

At that comment, Rachel's heart sunk, knowing exactly how he must have felt because she went through the same thing everyday. Every time she scored a new role for the school's musical, she so badly wished there was someone whom she could yelp happily with. It used to be her fathers, but now...

"I thought, you know, once our parents started dating, he might acknowledge me in McKinley. But really, when one day, you go from just admiring him from your locker, to saying hi as though you were long lost friends, you can't just... High school just doesn't work that way Rach. As I'm sure, you would know yourself."

She nodded, knowing exactly how it was.

"After a while, I just sort of gave up hoping that I could have some form of positive attention from the student body. Carole says I'm special on the inside, and I liked to think that counts for a lot more than what some dumb cheerleader has to say."

"Does Quinn know? She must have, having come around here right?"

"She does. But she doesn't like me very much. She says I ruin the good image Finn currently has in school and doesn't want to be seen with me in case something bad happens like getting slushied. I swear, I don't get what's the big deal. You get a free drink!"

Rachel laughs, and agreed good-naturedly.

"But that's why you'll hardly see Finn around here."

"Does it make you feel, I don't know."

"Angry? I don't know actually. I guess, I was always a shadow in school, I never really had anything to lose. Contrary to what everyone thinks of her, she can be quite the bitch. I would know, I have seen her without makeup on, and she looked every bit like her personality; not in the good way mind you. But I don't know, I don't feel angry."

He took a sip from his drink.

"I just thought, with Finn being my crush and becoming my stepbrother, the way I care for him is different now. I just think he deserves someone else better you know? Someone who doesn't treat him like he's crap all the time. If anyone should feel like they're less than important, it should be me because I've got a lifetime of knowledge in dealing with that."

Rachel wasn't used to this, but she reached out for Kurt's palm and held onto it tight. It was a pretty heavy topic to be discussing for such new friendships, but neither of them cared too much into that. High school was a place where you'd think you would be defined for life. But both of these struggling teens like to believe that it could get better. And it did, when they found each other.

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Ch. 4, and oh my my. The love all of you have supplied is mind-blowing! I am trying my very best to dedicate every waking hour to this story, so stay tuned for more updates to come! Daily reminder, I am sending you a million and one virtual embraces ;) xx


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I do not have any relation to Glee or any of the writers on Fox. Purely fictional.

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"So are you one of those who has a huge crush on my brother? Or choose to deny so, but in fact, really is crazy for him?" He asked, so casually as though it seemed as though he knew all along.

Rachel debated in her head, if she should deny the truth, but the silence that hung in the air as she took her time to ponder was the answer to his question.

Her cheeks glowed with embarrassment, while Kurt good-naturedly told her that he wasn't surprised. Despite being the great Rachel Berry, she was still very much like any other teenage girl who had her heart beating fast if the good looking quarterback looked her way. Also, she possessed the same kind of longing look he used to bore.

"I'm not going to judge you on that you know." He said when she failed to reply verbally. "It just makes you human. I'm just giving you a heads up because living with Finn isn't the same guy at high school. You'll understand that after a while." He went back to sipping his cocoa that had now gotten cold from the talk.

"Kurt, you can't expect me to not ask why when you leave the statement hanging like that."

He shook his head, refused to release any description that might change her idea of him. She wasn't sure if this was a mysterious vibe he was going for, but no matter what it was, when it involved something with the famous Finn Hudson, she wanted to know.

Keys jangled from a distance and she took a deep breath. Her back straightened from the sound and Kurt laughed at her actions. His fit began to erupt, but she was just in time to kick him in the shins as Finn walked into where they were.

"Hey." He said gruffly and she thought her heart would burst from sheer exhilaration. That word had never seemed so beautiful until it escaped his lips.

"Hey Finn." She swooned at a decibel too high. Kurt Hummel snorted and she gave him a stern glare.

Finn opened up the cabinets, retrieving a box of Oreos, and a plate from another. Rachel's eyes fixated on the way he moved so swiftly, and with every stretch that revealed a slip of his body, she would sigh audibly. Finn would look at them every time she did so, and Kurt refused to acknowledge any of it. In minutes, he was out, and Kurt let out a sigh, while Rachel's eyes were in the direction that he had just left in.

"Hey Finn." Kurt whispered into her ear, mocking at the way she seemed earlier, which sad to say earned him a smack in the arm. Then, her eyes would linger back to the doorway again.

He started to clear their mugs and took a piece of serviette from the pantry. He placed it in front of the brunette, and she was horrified, thinking that there might've been bits of chocolate stains on her teeth while she was busy gawking him. What would Finn have thought of her?! She wanted to yell at Kurt for not informing her earlier as she frantically wiped her mouth.

But as he refrained himself from laughter, his thumb swiped itself against her bottom lip and said,

"You just got a little drool of desperation right there."

The next morning marked the start of her second full day here, and already she was beginning to feel better. Of course, the hurt she was going through still felt a little raw, but if there was anything her fathers taught her, it was that she had to be strong and tough. They always called her a mighty little chilli because she had so much potential to be fierce and independent. This was the one chance to prove them right.

She greeted the day by kissing the photo frame by her bedside table. Her index finger stroked over the faces of her fathers, and she allowed a minute of sorrow to wash over her skin before plastering a smile on her face.

The house was quiet, and she creeped down the stairs stealthily. She had a chance to repay the family for what they've done so far, and while her true benefactors weren't around until tomorrow, she could make the boys a hearty breakfast. It really was the least she could do for Kurt considering how welcoming he had been. Of course, impressing Finn with her cooking skills was just a side bonus point.

When she got to the kitchen, it surprised her how familiar she already was with everything. Where the dishes could be found, where the eggs were kept, where the bacon and ham could be located. She had almost everything nailed, until she realised she didn't know exactly how to make bacon because she never saw the need to.

This was the trouble being brought up in a vegan family. You simply wouldn't care for such a thing. Vegetables never really required too much of oil, and she would know it would be cooked when it became a little softer. It was not the same with bacon though. Apparently, it needs crisp.

She convinced herself she would be fine. She had processed meat before, so she certainly would know how it should look like when it was done. She was going to be alright.

Although, someone should've warned her that the distraction named Finn Hudson was going to prove her otherwise. Because when he walked into the kitchen, half naked due to the fact that he simply forgot that there was a teenage girl in his house now, she let out a shriek so ear-piercing, he had to duck. Her hands flew up in shock, knocking over a glass of water, burning up the contents in the pan.

Screaming again, there was nothing she could do but stand aside and watch as he dove to turn off the gas and allowed the smoke to clear out.

She would whisper a line of gratitude if he wasn't looking at her angrily. She did nearly cause the house to catch fire just within her third day in his home. She winced, ever ready to apologise until the day she passed, but he had already reached for the cereal box and retreated into his room.

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All of you are unreal! And because you are all so very special, here is the next chapter that involved some form of interaction between our two main characters. Hope you'll enjoy this! Much love from me to you, xx


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I do not have any relation to Glee or any of the writers on Fox. Purely fictional.

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"Why can't I seem to do anything right Kurt?" She whined as she leaned against his headboard later that day.

"It was an accident Rach, not as though you could have prevented it from happening." He replied, trying to explain that Finn would get over it.

"You didn't see the way he was looking at me Kurt. His eyes were filled with a kind of disappointment, like he expected something out of me but I failed him you know? And now I feel terrible!"

"Yeah I'm sure he's all torn up." Kurt replied sarcastically. "I mean, wow, he only knew about your existence three days ago and he's already got this expectation about what a perfect girlfriend you would make. It just absolutely breaks his heart that you FAILED him." He started gesturing with his hands, feigning a crying action and it led to Rachel rolling her eyes.

"I'm being serious."

Kurt Hummel didn't think that he should be involved in their business. After all, he had grown out of it to know enough that Finn's popular with the girls, and that was it. As a brother, he couldn't care less. And yet, this was also Rachel Berry. She was the girl he watched take slushie after slushie right in the eyes where it hurt the most. She was the strongest little one he had ever seen. There was no way he would allow his new found friend hurt.

"Look Rachel, last night about what I said, about Finn being a different person when he's at home, you got to take me seriously."

She refused to listen, after all, when every girl comes to liking a guy, they always prefer to retain the ever-perfect image. But Kurt had a certain determination in his eye, and that serious tone did something to her skin. She looked at him, confused.

"I have to explain myself don't I?"

"If you'd like me to understand, yes please."

"Finn's not as nice as he looks Rachel. Look at the way he refuses to acknowledge me in school? He's been brought up right by Carole, but at the same time, he has the same amount of influence by all the dumb crap in high school. He cares too much about his image to ever give people like us the time of day."

She folded her arms, and pouted stubbornly. "You're wrong."

"Oh yeah, because I'm his brother and I know nothing while you're just another one of those dumb lovestruck girls who knows EVERYTHING about him."

She narrowed her eyes at his description of her while he swallowed.

"Too early for that huh?"

"You think?"

Kurt sighed, apologised for calling her dumb because even he knew that she was way better than to be categorised under one of those girls. But in his defence, with the way she was acting around his brother, she doesn't seem to be proving otherwise.

He tells her to be careful, and she says she will, although honestly she doesn't see the point. He reminds her that he's different and she told him with determination that if that were the case, perhaps she could change all of that. Kurt wants to persist that she would be wasting her time, but much like the argument about Barbra Striesand being a better singer than Judy Garland, Rachel Berry had her ways of winning.

A knock could be heard on his door, and knowing exactly who it was, she arched her back as she always does whenever he was within distance. Kurt simply rolled his eyes and answered.

"Mom just called and said she wanted us to get some stuff from the grocer. One of you gotta come with me. I always mess up the stuff. I'm just going to help carry the heavy bags. I'll be waiting downstairs in ten."

With that, Finn left and the other two teenagers looked at each other.

Rachel's eyes glistened and nodded her head excitedly while Kurt slouched his shoulders. As much as he knew that the two of them would probably mix up some of the items, he would do anything to keep Rachel happy. She did have a rough couple of days and if spending time alone with Finn Hudson could turn her mood around, then he would allow it.

He warned her, to keep in mind what he had just said, but the tiny girl was too much in wonderland to bother about his lectures. Watching the way she twirled to her room to pick out a 'casual' outfit, he already knew the days ahead weren't going to be good now that he was the only one who knew about her secret crush.

And thus, with Kurt feigning an excuse; homework, because nobody could ever argue with that, Rachel Berry wounded up in the front seat of her favourite teenage boy's truck and on their way to their first day out together alone.

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Ch. 6! Ack, I am on a roll here aren't I? Well, I have ALL OF YOU TO THANK. I can't even begin to express how much gratitude and I love I have for you, so hopefully these updates would suffice. Some of you are saying that Finn's a little different from who you're used to but hang in there, the next one's gonna change that ;) xx


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I do not have any relation to Glee or any of the writers on Fox. Purely fictional.

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"I'm really sorry about this morning." She said when they were driving along the main road. He refused to look at her, and she continued, thinking that it was only right for her to submit an explanation.

"I'm a vegan and it was my first time experimenting with real meat. And I just didn't think you would be awake so early in the morning, displaying your you know, stuff. I was an only child and I never had experience with hot teenage guys greeting me in the morning, so I just..."

Finn looked at her when she said this, a kind of glare that she wasn't sure if it was good or bad. But it kept her silent for the rest of the way to their destination.

When they got out of the vehicle, he tossed the list to her, mumbling that she better be quick because he had somewhere to be at in a couple of hours time. At this, Kurt's words began to smoke through her mind, but she waved it off.

She nodded, telling him she understood that the big shot quarterback probably had better plans than spending his Sunday with a theatre geek at the local grocer.

"Do you not stop talking?" He asked bluntly while her cheeks turned a fire engine red.

"Wh-what d-do you m-mean?"

"You can't seem to stop talking."

"I kept quiet on the way here."

"For 10 minutes. I swear, hearing the two of you cackle in the next room..."

Her eyes widened with fear. "You could hear us?"

Finn grabbed a trolley near the store and started pushing through the aisles while she tried to keep up with him. There was a little part of her that felt annoyed he didn't seem to care that she had to take three strides to catch up with his huge step.

"You think?" He asked in a way that was similar to her, and at that, her heart smiled with joy. Although the possibility of him hearing every single word she and Kurt uttered hit her, and the fear creeped up her veins.

"You didn't hear anything did you?"

Finn looked at her for a moment, and it was enough for the girl to jump a little and rush to the jam section. Her frame disappeared in a second, and all that he could catch was the way her hair flowed along.

The ends of his lips twitched a little, and it certainly looked very much like a smirk but by the time he caught up with her, his face was back to being emotionless and hard.

They didn't take too long to get the items, much to his delight and her disappointment. He was checking through the items when he noticed something missing and hurried off, telling Rachel to bag and check first. She nodded, this time not uttering a word lest he complained she talked too much again.

She sighed, as she watched his ass disappear out of her sight and went back to placing the items on the counter where the lady could scan them. She tells herself that she was lucky. Despite Finn being the coldest family member towards her, it was more interaction with him that she ever dared to dream about.

She wasn't sure if she should've been happy with the way Kurt was looking at things. He said Quinn was a, excuse her language, bitch. Score one for Rachel. But Finn was also obsessed with the way the school looks at him. Score for Quinn. Although, Rachel had the determination no one else possessed, and if she kept up with this, Finn might actually have a change of heart. Another score for Rachel.

The little girl let her mind danced around the competition between herself and the most popular girl in school, and failed to hear the counter girl call for her name. It wasn't until Finn shook her shoulders, did she return to earth.

He was annoyed that she didn't seem focused during most of the time he was with her. He had heard many things about this girl before she moved into his home, although he would deny it if you ever asked. For Pete's sake, how could one guy not notice a girl with an amazing voice?

She was the star of all the school's musicals, and unknown to his friends, he allows Kurt to drag him into some of them. He makes sure they don't sit in the same place though, Kurt always loves to sit within the first five rows while Finn was more of a corner backseat kind of dude. But he appreciated her voice. So it frustrated him how she doesn't seem to be any bit of the girl he was used to seeing.

He knew he should be more attentive to how he should be treating her. But oh god, couldn't she be a little less careless with everything? And did she honestly have to keep talking so loudly all the time. He didn't want to say this, but last night, he checked beneath his bed to see if she was there because she just seemed to pop up all the time.

One thing that he would give her credit for, was how she didn't seem fazed about the accident. He had expected her to cry her eyes out to sleep, and mope around the house for a good five months before finally showing any signs of moving on. Because that was what happened with him when he lost his dad. And she lost two of them. Technically, that would mean that she should take twice as long as he did to get over it.

The other day, on her first night here, his mom asked for him to carry her up to her room. No one knew this besides him, but he stroked the tensed eyebrows away as he watched her sleep for a good ten minutes. He had a rough idea what it was like to lose someone so important, and she was just a teenage girl at that. To accompany her on the first night seemed like the decent thing to do.

He watched her as she struggled with the bigger bags of groceries and saw this fiery little girl glow a little from the task. Of course, he only observed for a second, he didn't want to be an ass. But somehow, he began to understand how okay she seemed with all the changes. She was just a lot mightier than she seemed to be. He didn't want to bet on it, but he was willing to take a chance and say that it was all about putting up a strong front. And he was intrigued by that quality.

They walked back to the truck in silence, and Finn thought he might have gone a little too far commenting that she talked too much. Although, the male instincts kicked in, and he refused to apologise. So all he could do, was to switch on the radio, hoping that it would fill the awkwardness between them.

Journey's Don't Stop Believin' came on, and from the corner of his eye, he saw her sit upright. It first started with a soft hum, and when it got to the chorus, her confidence grew.

He heard a little of her conversation with Kurt. She says she couldn't believe how lucky she was to be living under the same roof as the popular quarterback because his games were legendary. But in total honesty, it was at this moment that he felt like the lucky one to be scoring a live concert with the best singer he has ever heard.

* * *

Ch. 7! Mm, would you like to know a little secret? I am already working on Ch. 12 for this story! So for those who commented that it seemed a little unrealistic that Rachel would move on so quickly, there is actually a bit of that being pointed out in Ch. 9, so stay tuned! (Seriously, it's like you guys knew what I was working on!) Much love from me to you ;) PS, in case you've forgotten, YOU ARE AMAZING.


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I do not have any relation to Glee or any of the writers on Fox. Purely fictional.

* * *

Kurt was up in his room when they got back and apparently taking one of his afternoon naps because it helps maintain his complexion, or so Finn said. He wasn't very sure, but it was beneficial in some way he would never understand.

He was polite enough to help her unload the items and store them in their respective places around the kitchen. By which, was an action Rachel was thankful for because not only did it allow her to get familiarised with the way her new family worked around the house, she also lucked out in spending more time with him.

Just as she was unpacking one of the bags, she picked up a box she definitely did not remember slipping in.

"Uhm, Finn?"

He paused his movement for a while before going back to packing the vegetables in place.

"Did you remember getting this?" She held up the box for him to see but all he did was turn his head over his shoulder for a nanosecond. It was some vegan-lite soy chips, a brand that she was extremely familiar with, but found it strange that Carole would put that under the grocery list, if she even did so in the first place. Rachel could have sworn she would remember seeing it on the list, that brand did not come cheap!

Finn, however, ignored her, and left very quickly once he was done. This left the girl extremely puzzled, but she came to the conclusion that Carole really was just an attentive mother who knew about her dietary habits.

The rest of the day passed slow-motion, and by the time Kurt awoke, it was close to dinner. Both of them expected Finn to return home late, so they went ahead to order more Breadstix.

"Kurt?"

"Hmm?"

"Don't get annoyed at me."

"I highly doubt it would happen especially when you're asking it this way."

"Just please."

"I'll try not to."

She seemed satisfied with this answer, so she looked at him and asked bravely. "Could you tell me more about the difference between high school Finn and family Finn?"

She pulled her greatest skill; those huge brown eyes and a tiny pout, while her hands clenched together, and bringing them up to her chin, she was certain she would get her way. It always worked with her fathers, and so it should work with her almost-brother Kurt too. And to her delight, it did.

Kurt narrowed his eyes, set down his fork and begrudgingly answered as requested.

"Where do you want me to start?"

Rachel squealed excitedly and scooted her seat close to him. He grunted at the actions and swiped his arm away when she grabbed unto it tight.

"Anywhere's good." She bobbed her head up and down, and with the high pitched voice she used, Kurt warned her to keep it down. That was the only thing that left him at advantage; his information about Finn. Although, he did realise that if she kept this up, it couldn't be very much of a good thing.

"He's not as tall as he seems if you look really close. His eyes are a little smaller if you observed it well. His uh..."

"K-Kurt!"

"He doesn't wear his jacket around the house. He eats more..."

"K-KURT! Be serious!"

"You didn't specify! And stop hogging my arm! How am I suppose to eat here?"

He stole back his limb before her fingers could wrap themselves around him. Rachel Berry honestly should learn a little about personal space. She folded her arms, and leaned back her seat. That little pout started to appear again, but this time, it had stubbornness labelled all over.

"He's not that cool around the house. Like, he actually looks you in the eye and answers your questions if you ask him nicely." Kurt said between munches of pasta.

Rachel's eyes started to widen and a side smile was seen.

"Although I don't know why he hasn't given you that respect yet. But he'll come around, he's a good brother." Even at this, Kurt's eyes began to soften. "Like he allows me to drag him to the school musicals you're in, if that makes you happy. Don't tell anyone that though, because he would kill me if he finds out. It's these sort of things that I don't know, makes him different I guess. He softens up, when it comes to family, because Carole told me it was really important to him."

"He's a really sensitive guy, isn't he?" She asked, her voice thickened with tenderness.

Kurt nodded, saying that it was probably the biggest difference in personality. But as he saw her face gleam with hope, he reminded her again that Finn wasn't perfect. Amidst all of that, the biggest problem was still the whole thing with his image.

"He is obsessed with it. I am not even kidding. It's like once you arrive at school on Monday, you'll see what I mean. I know you've stolen a million glances at him before, but now when you've seen him at home, you'll start to notice how insane it is when we're out of these four walls."

"So far, he's been able to divide those pretty equally. Like he makes sure Quinn doesn't come around, because apparently, according to Carole, he doesn't like the way she talks to me. Or that, he ensures I don't talk to him in school because he doesn't want people knowing that I'm related to him. Do you get the drift now?"

She bit her lip, nodding slowly. Suddenly it started to make sense why Kurt would tell her to be careful. As much as she wants to lock up this wonderful idea she always had about Finn Hudson, she had to look at the bigger picture. He wasn't a perfect person, just like every other teenager at McKinley, being fixated on the idea of popularity could breed a whole lot of other issues.

But oh dear, from the very beginning, she was and will always be in love with him. It wasn't easy for her to give it up that easily after hearing his flaws.

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Ch. 8! And oh dear, I am now working on Ch. 13! It's probably my favourite one yet but I still do hope you'll enjoy this one. Here's me giving you a million and one smooches! xx


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: I do not have any relation to Glee or any of the writers on Fox. Purely fictional.

* * *

They cleared out the kitchen once they were done, both agreeing that talking about Finn was taking up too much of their time. (Technically, it was just Kurt who concluded this. Rachel could talk about him for hours!) So they retreated to the living room, and chose a Judy Garland film because Rachel had her turn with Barbra the previous time.

She started to pull out some vegan chocolates, because in her opinion, no matter how full you are from dinner, there is always space for a little dessert. This was another puzzling object. As she started to unpack more groceries that afternoon, she never noticed how much vegan stuff were actually on that list. Alas, she brushed the mysteries aside, only giving herself a mental reminder to thank Carole when she got home the next day.

Finn came home earlier than before, much to Kurt's annoyance, because Rachel demanded they paused the movie just so that she could greet him as he walked past. He gave her a nod and she let a squeal escaped because it was an improvement from that afternoon.

The tall boy eyed the snacks on the table, and stole some of the chocolates. She watched him intently as he took a bite into one of her favourite snacks. An odd look came across his face with every bite and it looked as though it required a long time for him to swallow. He looked at the two of them, as if to questioned what he just ate.

"Don't look at me. Rachel chose them." Kurt said defensively. "I refused to eat them after one nibble."

Finn averted his gaze to Rachel, and she had to swallow her heart down from the way his eyes seemed to shine.

"Uh, uh, I, uh..." She started to stammer.

"God Rachel, use your words!" Kurt demanded, his annoyance at the interruption already ascending a level. He just wanted to get back to his movie.

Finn looked at her, his eyebrows raised. Then, as though an answer came to him, he chugged the remaining bits of chocolate he had in his fingers and walked away.

Rachel's back slouched once he turned, disappointed that she seemed so much like a loser who couldn't even form proper sentences whenever he was looking at her. But as he walked away, she heard a sentence trail after him.

"Shouldn't have gotten that crap for you."

And that was all that she needed to hear to rejuvenate her spirit. When he was out of sight, Kurt reached for the remote and un-paused the film. His mood began to ease into joy, while Rachel's eyes turned into the direction Finn had just left in.

Screw what Kurt tells her. In her heart, he still seemed perfect for her and that was all that matters.

Two hours later, when the night turned down a temperature, Finn found himself wondering around the kitchen for a midnight supper. It was weird really, because he often found it easy to go to bed by 11, when on this very day, it didn't seem possible. Perhaps it was another mindless squabble he had with Quinn earlier that day.

Just as he was creeping up the stairs, he heard her soft voice whispering into the dark and captivated by the way she would hum once in a while, he stopped just outside of her room.

The door was left slightly ajar, and a beacon of light was guiding in the darkness.

"Daddy, I miss you so much today. But your little girl has been very good."

He took a peek, and saw that she kneeling by the bed. Her hands were clenched together, and placed neatly on the mattress while her head bowed low.

"Kurt almost mentioned you today, but he stopped himself before he might say something to hurt my feelings. I appreciate that, but at the same time, I'm trying very hard to be the strong girl you and dad always told me to be."

Finn's felt his heart hit against his chest hard, and a sour feeling came over him. Suddenly, he wasn't very hungry anymore. His knees began to give in, and he found himself crouching at the foot of her door.

"I know I've said this last night, and I will continue to say it every single day. It would seem as though I should be a little angry at the both of you for leaving me so quickly, but I'm not. Because both of you have always made sure that I was brought up the right way, being one of the few kids around that had two daddies in her family. The accident, as I like to see it, is your way of making sure that I don't go astray, and I won't. I promise you to be the strong girl you brought me up to be, and I would do anything to keep the both of you proud."

Finn angled his face towards the light and blinked hard.

"Aunt Carole and Uncle Burt have been very welcoming. Trust the two of you to pick a family with a gay son whom I'm absolutely sure is my soulmate."

At this, Finn started to smile. But then, he heard her mention him, and his ears started to wriggle for clarity.

"The two of you shouldn't worry about Finn. I know dad's probably anxious up there in heaven, so daddy, you should tell him that it's okay. Finn can't possibly ever like me in that way, he has a girlfriend dad, so stop worrying. The entire family's really trying to make it work for me, so there's nothing you two should be jumpy about."

Finn exhaled deeply, his head now turning towards the dark hallway and his head leaned against the wall.

"But, I would assure the two of you that you will never be replaced. Because deep down, my family would always be the three of us."

Finn had enough eavesdropping for the evening. But just before he picked up the food to retreat into his room, his index finger stroked the wall. Agreeing into the night, he promised the two Mr Berrys that he would do anything to keep their daughter safe.

* * *

Ack! Chapter 9 is here, just like you requested! Oh gosh I do not know how to thank all of you for the follows! I am in love with you. THANK YOU FOR BEING SO INCREDIBLE. xx


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: I do not have any relation to Glee or any of the writers on Fox. Purely fictional.

* * *

The next morning came very quickly, and Rachel found it exhilarating that she could head to school with a friend in tow. Kurt didn't have any lessons with her, but just going to McKinley with her arm hooked around his was enough for her to think it was going to be a good day.

Throughout the time, the McKinley staff would come up to her, rub her shoulder sympathetically and look at her with the old head tilt. She would smile graciously as they project their utmost condolences, and nod occasionally. Due to the news spreading like wildfire, that was also how she found herself in the office of Ms Pilsbury, the guidance counsellor.

She ensured the pamphlets on her table were aligned for the umpteenth time before giving Rachel one of those I'm-so-sorry-for-your-loss faces.

"So, I've asked you to come in today is to see how have you been coping with the uh, passing of your fathers."

Rachel fidgeted in her seat, a topic that she still found it hard to face quite honestly. "I'm uh, okay."

"Are you sure? Because I understand how hard it is to repress the pain Rachel. And I'm here to help you get through that."

"Ms Pilsbury, I'm fine."

"Well, okay." She tidied another object on her desk again. "I will see you again next Monday to follow up. But in the mean time, my door is always open if you ever need to talk."

The girl nodded and left the room in a flurry. She didn't like it one bit, how everyone was tip-toeing around her. It made the accident seem more real, and all she ever want is for people to go back to their normal lives. Her fathers most definitely would want that for her, wouldn't they?

She hurried to her locker, having already miss first period and not wanting to be late for the next. Checking through the timetable, second period was Biology. Her heart tossed with irritation because it was the class that contained most of her bullies. On top of that, Mrs. Graham told them she would be rearranging the pairs that morning, just so that everyone got a chance to work with other people besides their friends.

In all honesty, Rachel detested pair work, group projects and team presentations. All of them involved her working with another human being and she wasn't good with social skills. Not everyone in McKinley would be as friendly as Kurt was, that's for sure. And to make matters worse, they were doing dissection exercises.

She slammed the metal door shut, and trudge begrudgingly to the classroom she thinks should be named "Cruelty to Animals". She can't even fathom how people don't switch to vegan dietary habits after that class.

Minutes pass, and students began to sprinkle in slowly. Rachel started to watch from her seat as people from different cliques started to gather and chatter about mindless topics. If it were any day before today, she wouldn't care for it much. But now, having Kurt as a pal, she began to understand the true longing for someone whenever he/she wasn't around. Thank goodness for the same lunch period.

At the second before the bell rung, Finn swept in, and Rachel heard the girls swoon softly. She watched him take his seat, unknown to the effect he has on the female population. Excited whispers erupted, and with the possibility of being in the same pair as him got Mrs Graham clapping for attention.

"Okay settle down, settle down now. As I have said, I'm going to be dividing you up. To ensure everything's done in the fairest way, we'll go by the oldest trick in the book." She whipped out a box, containing slips of the students names and the talks began to fill the room again.

As she called out each female by name, the disappointment was evident when the result led them to a partner other than Finn Hudson. Rachel hardly cared for this, only praying that she would end up with someone half-decent. She looked around as the class slowly began to fill up with pairs, her heart thumping with anxiety.

"Rachel Berry and Finn Hudson."

The brunette snapped her head back to the teacher who already went on with other students. At first, she wasn't sure, but the other girls started to stare at her with jealous-filled eyes and sour looks, making it for certain that she heard it right.

She stole a glance at Finn, just hoping that he wouldn't cringe from this. After all, the past couple of days were not in her favour.

Much to her surprise, he raised his head from his notebook and offered the tiniest bit of a side smile. She blinked and nodded shyly, earning him to pack up his bag and move forward to where she was. As he was doing this. Rachel became the centre of attention in all the girls' eyes. They couldn't seem to understand how the theatre geek would end up with the best looking boy in school. But to her rescue, Mrs Graham was already instructing a ten minute frame to get comfortable with each other.

"Hey." He said gruffly, just like the way he greeted her on Saturday. Again, she was certain her heart was this close to bursting from sheer exhilaration.

"Hey." She said softly, not daring to look at him in the eye. She did, however, feel him shift his seat a little closer to hers.

"You're different when you're in school."

She raised her eyebrows and looked at him strangely. "Different?"

He bit his lip, turned to look at the rest of the class over his shoulder before back at her again.

"You're not talking all the time."

This inside joke, sad to say, earned him a smack in the arm. She folded her arms, crossed that the Hudson-Hummel brothers were alike in so many ways.

Finn was a little startled from this, because to put everything on the table, he knows about her crush on him. But he hadn't expected even in the least sense that Rachel would be so, uh upfront and unladylike towards him, which was surprisingly refreshing.

So all he could do, was to throw his head back in laughter as her cheeks glowed from mortification.

* * *

Ch. 10! Oh dear, I am a little afraid that I have some bad news for you. There is the possibility that I wouldn't have the chance to update two chapters in a day now! It's my last week of uni, and oh my my, WORK IS INSANE! Of course, that is no excuse, but just putting it out there in case the updates don't come regularly! Lastly, for all the readers in NY or just the US in general, STAY SAFE! My heart goes out to all of you! Much love, xx.


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: I do not have any relation to Glee or any of the writers on Fox. Purely fictional.

* * *

Over the next hour, without even asking her, Finn took the reins on the assignment. He could've guessed that she would be uneasy about dissections. Look at how jumpy she was about bacon! Besides, looking through the insides of a frog was fun for him. Science has got to be the his favourite class. Occasionally, he would asked if she'd like a peek. He didn't want to seem like an ass, and she did need to know what they were doing.

But with every rubbery squeak between the tools and the poor amphibian, Rachel would shut her eyes, and only instruct Finn to keep it down. He found it adorable how she would freeze up at the sight of the tiny intestines, so without a doubt, he wasn't about to stop. When the class continued, he would start to joke about how it's not as though she had to fry the thing, so she needn't worry about the poor animal burning before her eyes.

At this, her eyes would narrow into slits, and it most definitely got him to keep quiet for a minute.

Towards the last quarter before they were dismissed, they were to discuss what they had done, and submit a report the following week.

"It's a good thing we live together now huh?" She said nonchalantly, while he widened his eyes and inspected the area for eavesdroppers. When she saw this, her heart hit against her chest, witnessing for herself what Kurt had warned her about.

The smile he had for the past time started to disappear and it was as though he was like a turtle, retreating back into its shell.

"Yeah, I, uh guess so." He said it so quietly, she had to strain herself to hear. Then, he moved towards her, and instructed harshly.

"I uh, didn't tell the guys that you were staying at my place, so don't go telling people that you are okay? Like I thought Kurt told you about it!"

Rachel Berry was genuinely very disappointed.

She started to pile her books up, one after another. Then, in the same manner he used, she gave him a piece of her mind.

"Look, I expected more of you. But if you were so convinced that I would be bad for your image, perhaps you should just choose another partner. I'm sure any girl in this class would gladly volunteer."

From the very beginning, she was and will always be in love with him. But even so, she sticks to her dignity and principles. Having Kurt tell her the way Finn was and seeing it take place before her very eyes made her question if really she was in love with him, or just the idea of a perfect him.

She rushes out of the room, and Finn caught her swiping her eyes with her fingers. He didn't think that she would be crying, after all he found out that she was stronger than that. But it was quite simply a look he wished he could forget. He wants to chase her, he really does. But timing can be a pain in the ass, especially when the infamous bully Dave Karofsky comes by, patting his back on a job well done in making the school's loser leave the class in tears.

When he got home that day, he wanted to set things straight. She needed to see it from his perspective. So, opting an afternoon away from Quinn, (which in total honesty, he found it to be relieving), Finn Hudson was found walking through the front door at 3pm.

Kurt was off in his room with the scheduled nap, while Rachel was in her room. He snagged a couple of those vegan-lite soy chips he got for her as a form of truce before rushing up the stairs and into her room. He knocked on the door twice, before her voice allowed him to enter.

She was at her desk, working on the Biology report, which was a little bit of a surprise to him. He did think she was serious about swapping partners.

"Hey."

She didn't greet him the way she usually does, but instead just turned to look at him. Her eyes went to the snack he brought up and he rubbed his neck sheepishly.

"I, uh, I uh, I..."

"Finn, assert yourself."

He tossed the snacks her way, and as much as she wanted to hide the joy from food, she couldn't. Within seconds, she was munching on them like a child opening her presents on Christmas Eve.

"Look, I'm not really here to apologise. I just wanted to explain about what happened during lab hours earlier."

At this, she stopped chewing and set the food down.

"I don't mean to offend you or anything, but I don't want to be some high school loser. Not to say that you are, but the school sort of sees you that way, and I just, I just don't want to get a slushie in my face."

"What are you so afraid of Finn?"

He stole a stuffed kitten from her mountain of toys on her bed and started playing with the ears.

"Being unhappy." She saw him swallow, and took it upon herself to move and position herself beside him. "You're not happy with the way they treat you right?"

She shook her head.

"Well then yeah, I don't want to be without friends. It gets extremely lonely."

"And yet, you're willing to settle on superficial ones?"

He looked at her. He wanted to read her expression, but even with the disappointed look, he was confused.

"You're better than all of them Finn. You could have the potential to be someone beyond this stupid jock stereotype, and yet you're willing to settle for something less than who you truly are?" She didn't wait for him to answer. Instead, she asked him another question that nobody ever did. "Tell me, are you happy right now?"

His hands froze, along with every other limb of his body.

"No." She answered for him. "Because if you were, you wouldn't think it was necessary to keep Quinn away from Kurt. If you were, you wouldn't even care about following Kurt to the schools musicals. If you were, you wouldn't be here right now and finding it necessary to explain it to me."

She snatched the stuffed toy from his prowl. Pushing him up with her hands, she tells him to leave. But when his eyes saw the snacks on her table, he was reminded about what took place 24 hours ago.

What possessed him to even spend a good ten minutes at the vegan aisle for her was beyond reasoning. He wants to change. He has been wanting to change from the very beginning, and Rachel Berry might just be his last chance.

She starts yelling that he needs to sort out what is truly important. And man, for such a little person, she sure was feisty. And what was up with that crazy strength? She could practically lift a bull! Not to say that he should be compared to one, but you get the picture.

He allows her to push him to the door, but suddenly, he swivels around so quick, she was caught off guard. And then, like the start of a drizzle that makes you question it's existence after the first drop, he asks for her to help him get his priorities right. When he repeats the question again, that was when it hit her like a thunderstorm, strong and yet unknown to the consequences it can produce.

* * *

Mm, yes, there is a little angst in this one but fear not, my update tonight will be a chapter of resolution! ;) But oh dear, all of you have been the sweetest! The followers who have alerted for this story just keeps rising and I am just so very blessed by that! All of you are just magical beings to be doing that! Much love from me to you! xx


	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: I do not have any relation to Glee or any of the writers on Fox. Purely fictional.

* * *

She wants him to get better, to become better. Of course she does, but she's not sure if she even knows how. If she did, she would have been able to deal with all that high school crap by now. She stares at him when he asks for this, because she wasn't sure if he was thinking straight. So she asks for him to clarify.

He turns back to pace her room, while she settled for her mattress as she watched him sort out what just took place.

"I don't know exactly what it is that I want, but I know that I don't want uh, this." He gestured a space before him.

"Like I am in here right now, but I want to get out and uh, be here." He moved his hands 'out' of the previous space. "Do you see what I mean?"

She nods, mimics his actions playfully, and over-exaggerates every movement. He stares at her, but contrary to the previous days, she knows she doesn't have to take him seriously when he does this. She giggles, while he puts his arms on his hips, exasperated.

Then, movement could be heard from the next room and Finn's eyes widened. Without saying anything more, he bolted quickly.

Rachel wants to understand why he treats her like this. Does he really dislike being seen with her even when Kurt's around? It would seem as though he doesn't want anyone to know that they get along. And it can be extremely frustrating. She goes back to her seat, where her eyes land on the report she was technically suppose to be working on with him.

His words ring in her head again, and without considering further, she picks up the pieces of paper and heads to his room.

She knocks once, and he calls to open the door.

"Look," She starts once she enters. "I don't know what is it exactly that you want from me, because you don't even seem to know what it is that you want. But one thing you can start on, would be your manners. And respect. So we're going to begin with this." She waves the report ad waits for his reply.

Initially, he looked doubtful, as though already regretting that he let her in on what he has always wanted. But as he sees this girl standing in front of him, he is reminded of what she whispered last night to her fathers. Like her, he was brought up the right way, and as a Hudson, he wishes to make his dad proud. That would include being a man who knew what was the right thing to do.

So he packs his notes from today, and tells her that he was free to spend the entire afternoon in the living room going over what this assignment required. And that was how Rachel began to start changing his obsession with materialism.

Finn discovers that he was not wrong about her, but simply too blinded by the fact that first impressions mean everything. She proves to him that this will never be the case. She laughs very easily, unlike how Quinn thinks that being mysterious is the way to go. She was very very smart, that was for sure. She also shocked him by being able to recite the parts they should have seen today in the frog, even though it was clear she didn't want to be close to the animal. And finally, she proved to him that she can be extremely focused.

For what may seem to have taken days were completed within hours, and when dinner time was a minute away, Finn arched his back against the couch, feeling productive yet worn out. He closes his eyes, as his head rested on the cushion.

She crawls to his side, because for some unknown reason, they have migrated from the table to the carpet. She keeps her distance of course, seeing that he can be a little unpredictable. Her knees go up to her chest, and as she hugs herself, she rocks herself a little.

He hears her move and sneaks a peek. He starts to deliver a half smile that gives her heart the roller coasters.

"Finn, I haven't got the chance to thank you for what you did at the grocer." She says softly, careful with every single word.

He raises his eyebrows, then proceeds to smile a little wider. "How did you know?"

She tells him she remembers things easily, especially when it came to food. If there were items on that list that were vegan-friendly, it would've been the first things she got when they walked in.

Then, he listens to the way she talks in a sing-song manner as she launched into her favourite snacks. It was probably derived from all that years of theatre experience. It got on his nerves for a while, but he didn't stop her anyway. It was a nice change from Quinn snapping at him all the time.

Kurt walks in on them, a strange look casting over his face. Things got even weirder when Finn volunteered to make dinner because he hardly ever does. Not due to the fact that he was a bad chef, in fact, he had superb cooking skills. But it just seemed a little too out of the ordinary.

"Why don't I do it?" Rachel exclaims joyously, her hands accidentally resting on Finn's wrist as she was trying to sit up. "I'm a splendid cook!"

At this, the brothers looked at her. Nobody said anything for a while, but then Kurt began to have fits of giggle and Finn tried very hard to stay calm as he asks this,

"You got the number for the fire station at the back of your palm?"

Kurt laughs began to increase, and he started throwing smart comments too. By ten minutes, the two of them couldn't even speak as they watched Rachel huff and grumble while they held their stomachs from laughter.

* * *

Ch. 12! And oh boy, I have just completed 15 and can't wait til you guys read it! In the mean time, here's me sending you some loving and hoping you're enjoying this as much as I am writing it down! ;) xx


	13. Chapter 13

Disclaimer: I do not have any relation to Glee or any of the writers on Fox. Purely fictional.

* * *

Two hours later, there the three of them sat, with empty plates and washed out glasses. Neither of them felt like moving from the scrumptious dinner Chef Hudson made, including Rachel who had her own vegan specialty. Since her arrival, she decided that this was probably the best meal yet.

Kurt was playing with a serviette in his hands, while Finn was trying to make a face with his leftover gravy. Rachel wants to get distracted by something else, but her gaze always comes back to the quarterback that she winds up staring at him for most of the time. All seemed well for a moment until porcelain-faced spoke up.

"Rach, are there any guys in school you're interested in?"

Kurt begins to think that Rachel just might pull off the change in Finn. No kidding the walls of their house were ridiculously thin and their conversation earlier did keep him up from his nap. Besides he wants well for his new best friend, and giving her the inch might possibly speed things up. This was something that Rachel was unaware of though.

She glared at him, trying to ask him to quit it with her eyes. Meanwhile, Finn had set his fork down and folded his arms, awaiting to hear her reply.

"McKinley has zero possible targets for me, I would know from my gay-dar Rach. And Finn here already has Quinn. It's down to you." He said playfully while Rachel stole glances at Finn.

"I uh, I, sort of, oh I don't know."

"Rachel, assert yourself." Kurt says, earning a loud chuckle from Finn.

Now, evident to the fact that Kurt was indeed eavesdropping their conversation, her cheeks began to flush, losing its colour as she tried to slide in her seat.

"Tall, handsome and nice eyes." She says quickly and Finn's palm came up to his mouth, covering the wide grin.

"I uh, have this weakness for guys with dimples too, so uh..." She sneaked a glance at Finn again, and saw his eyes averted elsewhere.

"You could have just said Finn you know." Kurt says nonchalantly, and the other teenage boy started looking down at his lap with the smile tattooed between his cheeks. It was too bad that their conversation ended there due to Rachel leaving the room so suddenly.

The brothers laughed again, and when she was out of sight, Kurt turns to Finn and tells him softly.

"From the very beginning, she was in love with you. Don't hurt her."

Finn's eyes travelled to the place she last stood and told Kurt that was the last thing he would do.

She stomps up the stairs and bangs the door when she enters her room. The nerve of Kurt to be mortifying her like that! It was most certainly uncalled for! And to make matters worse, the way Finn laughed, as though a crush on him could be something ever so hilarious. How rude of the brothers! She hears one of them moving up the stairs, and expects it to be Kurt, guilt ridden with apologies.

Instead, it was the other boy, who had gathered their things from the living room and brought it up for her. She grabs them swiftly, afraid to look at him in the eye.

He continues laughing when shyness took place, and tells her that it was just like Kurt to be saying things like that. She apologises, telling him that he shouldn't be taking the nonsense seriously. He tells her it was fine, and they were just having a good kick out of it. She relaxes a little, but a part of her wished he might say something to her favour.

They went through bits of the report, because in her opinion, they might as well finish up when they are so close. He nods, and starts to go through all the information for the final time. She watches him, and with Kurt's persistent questioning, was prompted to ask him this.

"Do you ever look at someone, and literally have to ask yourself how did you get so lucky to be in love with them?"

She saw his ears twitch, and his back straightened. He tried to bite his lips, but a smile ensued, revealing the deep dimples he was famous for. He swallowed hard and looked at her. This time, she thinks she might have gone a little too far so her eyes snaps back to the report. That was all there was to the conversation, but Finn kept this tiny smile for the whole night.

By the time Carole and Burt arrived back home, it was assumed that everyone had already gone to bed. But Carole, knowing her son, crept into his room.

She embraced him warmly, while he returned the hug just as much as she gave. She asks about the last couple of days, if Rachel was suiting well with everything. He nods, explaining briefly that it would seemed as though it was all so natural for her to come into their lives despite the horrible accident.

They don't talk for long, seeing that it was a school night. So she left him alone after 15 minutes. He hears her step back into the master room and starts to look at the time on his clock.

With a side smile, he tiptoes out, and stops outside of Rachel's room. The door was closed that night, but the line of light escaping beneath the walls allowed him to sit against the barrier between him and her. He hears soft murmurs, and starts to stroke the wall like how he did before.

He doesn't tell anyone, but he begins to do this every night for the following weeks.

* * *

Ch. 13! Much love from me to you on this Halloween night! And for those on the other side of the world like where I am, happy November! xx


	14. Chapter 14

Disclaimer: I do not have any relation to Glee or any of the writers on Fox. Purely fictional.

* * *

November came and it marked six months into her stay at the new home. McKinley was buzzing with rumours of the winter musical, and much to Rachel's delight, she woke up bright and early to the news of her attaining the lead role.

She so desperately wanted to tell someone about the news, and fleeing out of Mr. Schuester's office, there were two boys on her mind. She leaped past the lockers, and saw one of them there. She rushes towards him, ignoring about everyone else.

When she calls out for his name, he turned to look at her. There was an inexplicable amount of joy wrapped around her face as she dove for a huge embrace. He congratulates her sincerely with a proud smile and she whispers excitement into his shoulder.

Quinn Fabray walks by, and makes a snide comment about getting a room. But even with the rude words, Rachel doesn't let it get to her. She was much too excited about the new role while her friend, was already sick of Quinn playing them down. His hands held unto Rachel's and looked at the cheerleader. He wants to say something smart, but the posse behind her started to grow.

She folds her arms, and with an expectant smirk, it's like she was waiting for something to happen. A slushie in his face or something. Instead, it was her boyfriend that came up from a class, and walked up to the commotion.

The blonde girl begins to question his motives, while Finn Hudson just laid his hand on Kurt's shoulder while looking at Rachel. He asks them very softly if they were fine and the brunette answers for the both of them. By then, Quinn was already boiling mad that Finn wasn't doing as she pleased. As though a secret sign language was formed, all it took was for the head cheerleader to look at Karofsky's way and in came a slushie.

Right smack into Finn's face.

The student body hushed quickly and eerily, having witness one of the most popular jocks demoted to the same category as the underdogs. It was unheard of! But the 6'3 man stood there, shivering with a smile and saying that a free drink was always welcomed in his books.

Rachel follows Kurt when Finn is dragged into the nearest bathroom. The first signal bell rings, alerting porcelain-faced that he had a test to rush to, leaving Rachel and Finn behind. She instructs him to stay by the sink as she pulls up a chair.

Tenderly, she washes out the ice from his eyes, brushes the bits from his hair and strokes the cheeks for any more remains. Finn watches her emit panic and worry but remains silent. When most of the drink was rinsed away, he blinks a couple of times before thanking her.

"I don't understand how you take this all the time."

She smiles, part of her happy that someone popular finally knows what it was like to be on the other side of the social pyramid. "The sting doesn't hurt that bad after a while." Her face was angled towards the sink, as she cleans up the mess from her fingers.

He sits up and touches her wrist. Lately, he begins to do that very often with her and she likes it. She likes it a lot.

He doesn't really know what to tell her, just that he was really grateful that she was around when it happened. She agrees good-naturedly, explaining that she never really got a friend to go to whenever it happened in the past. But as she was squeezing the towel, she inquires further if it would breed danger for his relationship with Quinn.

And that was when he told her they have been on a break for a while now.

This became extremely contradictory because on that very week, Quinn starts to come over to their house a lot more, or so Kurt says because Rachel's hardly around due to rehearsals. He starts to fill in that the couple have been arguing almost everyday now. But as much as the gossip can seem very entertaining between them, Rachel's sort of worried that the reason of this could've been impacted from the day he decided to change.

You see, Finn is trying really hard to be a better person, and Rachel coaches him through it. He's not exactly sure if he's doing the right things too, but he feels good, and he feels like finally he seems to be making his parents proud. Carole comments that she likes the change in him, considering that he's around the house more, helping with the chores more. And that makes Finn think that change is good.

So on the Friday before Thanksgiving week, when rehearsals were cancelled, she found herself walking in to one of these arguments.

She closes the door behind her, but doesn't announce her arrival like she usually does because oh boy, when they fight, they fight LOUD. Quinn doesn't really scream a lot, her voice was technically pretty low. But she tells him off by yelling. That afternoon though, it was Finn who was doing the yelling instead. She doesn't want to eavesdrop, but with them speaking at such a ridiculously high volume, it was hard not to.

She creeps quietly to the living room, where they sat. She tries and hide behind this wall, so all she could see was Finn's hard face and Quinn's back. Her heart starts to jump, because although it wasn't the first time she seen Finn this way, it certainly was the first time he was looking at Quinn this way.

"I'm so sorry Finn. didn't know how to explain to you when it happened."

"And yet you can do it now?"

Quinn becomes quiet for a while. Then she speaks up again.

"I need you to understand that you were becoming this other person that I don't even know anymore. And it hurt me because you're changing and I don't know what it is that made you this way."

"It still doesn't give you a reason to cheat on me."

"It was only one time."

"How would I know that you aren't going to do it again?" His voice was soft now, but he was looking at the blonde girl. Rachel notices the red in his cheeks and just so badly wants to go over and hug it all away.

"You can't blame me for this Finn. You were beginning to get very close to this Berry girl and, and, people are starting to talk Finn!"

He looks at her, now with a dash of hurt. "But are you in a relationship with me or are you in a relationship with the rest of the school? Not everything is about social status Q."

"What are you saying Finn? This is so unlike you. You can't throw it all away!"

"I'm asking you as I see it. Now tell me, if you had a choice, would it be the way I see you, or would it be the way the school sees you?"

Quinn doesn't say anything, but Rachel hears her sniffling. Then, she hears something that catches her breath.

"Finn don't make me out to be the villain here. You know what you've done with her."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

Quinn stands up, and wipes her eyes. "Rachel Berry. You know exactly what I'm talking about. I am suppose to be the girl you're smiling at, the girl you're willing to take slushies for! Not that it would ever happen, but you know what I mean. I am your girlfriend Finn!"

"Yeah? Because sure hell doesn't feel like it anymore when you cheated on me." Finn starts to stand up and steps forward. That was when his eyes caught sight of Rachel listening in from the entrance. He sees her swallow hard, in fear of being outed. But instead, Finn just looks at the brunette and says this,

"At least Rachel knows how to appreciate me more than you as my real girlfriend ever will."

Then Finn lets his gaze return to Quinn and it was the last time she ever heard him speak to the blonde.

"We're done here Quinn. It's over."

* * *

Mm, the end of the Fuinn relationship even though there wasn't much that was explored in this story. Oh boy, tmr morning I'll be updating with my favorite chapter of the story yet! But alas, that's not impt for now. What's more necessary is for me to tell you that you are LOVE. xx


	15. Chapter 15

Disclaimer: I do not have any relation to Glee or any of the writers on Fox. Purely fictional.

* * *

Carole announces to Rachel that their relatives come to their home every Thanksgiving and this year was no different. The older woman thinks it will also be a good time to introduce their new family member to the rest of her blood-related ones. Rachel claps her hand with wonder at this. She did adore a good celebration and dress up.

'twas the night when she was zipping up this pricey dress Carole generously paid for. She smoothed the pleats for the tenth time and brushed her bangs as she looked at herself in the mirror. She hopes Finn will say something about the way she looked. It took ages to find the right outfit.

Her mind starts to wonder and she looks in the direction of his room from where she was. Even though she can't see him, she whispers so quietly, hoping that it was going well for him. It has been about a week since she 'accidentally' overheard about his breakup. And he hasn't really spoken to her yet. Rachel bites her lip as she allows her gaze to return to the reflection in the mirror again.

The bell rings, and the first group of guests start to fill the house. She wishes one last time that Finn would comment on the way she looked before she goes off to mingle. At least they could go back to the way they were before.

She descends down the stairs and she sees Carole kissing some of the relatives a welcome. She guides them into the house, leaving Finn by the door. Rachel watches as he adjusts his tie, fumbles his hair, and then adjusts his tie again. She laughs a little at this, and he turns around to see her.

His voice gets lost in his throat when he first sees her and his eyes follows her body as it moves closer towards him. She assists with his tie, and folds his collar when she was done.

"You look very sharp tonight." She compliments him with a warm smile as she dusts his chest.

He nods, but that's all he does because he is still trying to figure out how he could tell her she looked stunning without stuttering.

Rachel was a little disappointed when he doesn't say anything, but she continues smiling until Carole calls for her into the living room.

Unknown to the both of them, Kurt was watching this from the top of the stairs. So, when Rachel walked away, he goes to his brother, and tells him to wipe away the drool of desperation hanging from his lip just like how he told to Rachel before. Finn blushes at this, embarrassed that he has been discovered. So all he could do was to ask Kurt to keep it down.

It doesn't take long for the night to get bustling. Within an hour, the Hudson-Hummel household was in full celebration mode with relatives chatting up just about any subject possible. There were relatives from both sides of the family, so Kurt and Finn took turns introducing Rachel to those they were familiar with.

The dinner table was most definitely a lot more crowded than Rachel was used to, but she smiled her way through the meal. Finn sees the way she grips her hands together sometimes, and he would gently place his huge palm over them whenever she does so. He doesn't really know why, but he gets the feeling that it comforts her when he does this, so he doesn't stop. And she doesn't complain either.

By eleven, Rachel was already worn out from smiling, and therefore she excuses herself quietly, hoping that no one would notice. After all, this was a time for everyone to catch up on any new family news, while she would have nothing to contribute.

Finn sees her slip away though, and goes up to her room shortly after. He knocks on her bedroom door, which was left slightly open. He pushes through when she doesn't answer, only to find out she was probably in the shower. He contemplates for a while, and decides to stay with her just in case she might feel lonely. It was Thanksgiving and this was always a time one might get a little nostalgic. Besides, he'd rather spend the night with Rachel than with some aunt who would pinch his cheeks and comment that he has just grown up too fast.

She doesn't take long, and when she re-enters the room, she sees him playing with the stuffed kitty. She thinks it's his favourite toy from her collection, but of course, it was something he would never admit to.

He puts it down, and sits upright when she walks in with her pjs.

"Hey." She says as she uses the towel to comb through her hair.

"Hey you." He replies, his tone a little less gruff than usual, this time coated with a tinge of gentleness. Not that it would have made a difference because Rachel still thinks her heart might burst from sheer exhilaration.

"Did you uh, did you have fun tonight Rach?"

She nods her head, and he rubs his neck. He doesn't know what's gotten to him recently. Ever since the break up with Quinn one week ago, he hasn't spoken to Rachel. It's not that he doesn't want to, it's that he doesn't know how.

You see, Quinn, despite the self centred girl that she was, she did spend a decent amount of time with him to know how he was. So he's not saying anything of course, but a part of him thinks Quinn might be right. He would take a minute or two to consider saving Quinn from a slushie before (if it were to ever happen) and yet he doesn't even think about it for one second when he had to save Rachel. To him, it was just very natural.

Fortunately, Rachel starts acting like before and talks. A LOT. He knows he used to complain about it, but he doesn't anymore. Because when you start to care for a person like how he cares for her, you realise that all these little things just makes them who they are.

She tells him she doesn't want to be biased, but she likes most of his relatives more than Kurt's. He laughs when he hears this and comments that Carole probably talks to them a lot more than Burt does with his, so his aunts and uncles already knew what kind of girl Rachel was.

She smiles and tells Finn that he really should be so proud to have an outstanding mother like Carole, and he agrees with that statement. They chatter for about half an hour when she looks at the clock on her dresser.

He understands what it means, because he's been doing the same thing every night since he found out too. She looks at him, and politely says that she's really tired. She expects him to get the message, but it doesn't seem as though he does.

Instead, he goes to the spot she normally kneels at and copies the actions after having watch her done so every single night since she lived with them. He pats the space beside him, and she's a little dumbfounded but she follows anyway. When her knees met the ground, she turns to look at him.

He had a queer kind of smile, one that she had never seen before. Then, he whispers gently,

"Let me talk to them too."

Her left hand flies up to cover her mouth as she watches him bow in respect. Her eyes brimmed with shock, as she continues to watch him do what she does every night.

"Hello Mr Berry, Mr Berry. I've never really talked to you guys before, but I figured doing it the same way Rachel does wouldn't mean any harm so here I am. You remember what she told you last night didn't you? That she was struggling to reach a high B note for that song. Well, let me tell ya, she reached it today. And she sounds amazing. I haven't told her that yet, but she really is an incredible singer. I would know because I've been to almost all of her musicals and she's always perfect."

She sneaks a look at him. And there Mr almighty Finn Hudson was, now transformed into nothing more than just a boy with his eyes closed and talking to her fathers as though he has known them for years.

"She looked beautiful tonight Mr Berrys, and I wished you could have been here to see her for yourself. You guys raised her up right, and I know she has been trying really hard to make the two of you proud. And she has. Honest. She is the strongest girl I know besides my mom. So don't worry about anything, because I can assure you she is doing the best she can. I'm sure she missed you a lot today, just like the rest of the time since you left her with us, so I think I'll pass the time over to her now."

Finn looks up at Rachel expectantly. His boyish grin and innocent eyes seemed to be waiting patiently as she takes her turn.

She wants to ask him how he found out, and for how long. But she couldn't find the strength to. Contrary to what Finn has just said about her, she was far from being strong at this moment. So she just turns her head down and knot her fingers tight.

"Daddy?" She whispers so softly and Finn smiles, glad to have finally been in her presence during this time. Leaning on the wall wasn't exactly the most comfortable thing on earth!

"Dad?" She continues, and Finn hears her choking up a little. He wants to put his arms around her, and yet, he refrains because he knows this was always a time that Rachel could be herself without anyone interrupting and he wants to respect that. So he bows his head again, and waits for her breathe.

* * *

Ack, I love this chapter so much! Hoping that all of you out there are having a fantastic day/night and here's me wishing you some love! xx PS, thank you for being such incredible & amazing human beings.


	16. Chapter 16

Disclaimer: I do not have any relation to Glee or any of the writers on Fox. Purely fictional.

* * *

Rachel doesn't say very much tonight, and Finn was a little worried that it might've been because he was around. But she does tell her fathers that she misses them a lot, and Finn knows that sometimes, it would be more than enough.

The night air fills the silence once she was done, neither of them really wanting to speak. But Rachel starts to get up first, only to have Finn tug on her elbows.

"Rach, do you think... Do you think I could stay here a little while more?"

She looks at him, his eyes filled with a sudden kind longing. She doesn't question his motives, but resumes to kneeling beside him by the bed.

He smiles a little, clenches his hands together and bows his head again. And she follows suit. She hears him let out multiple breaths, rushed and choky.

"Dad?" He whispers into the void. His voice never seemed more fragile to her, so she does what he has been doing the entire night. Her hand goes to wrap his knotted fingers and just like she expected, his voice grew a little stronger.

"Dad? I know I've never done this before since you left, but Rachel sort of taught me that this is the only way I get to connect with you so..."

He pauses for a while, and along the way throughout the entire ten minutes. But Rachel doesn't interrupt, because underneath her hands, she feels him tremble and knows what it was like and that it was perfectly fine to be a little scared.

"I'm sorry that I haven't been the son that you wanted me to be. But that's changing now. Rachel, this awesome girl beside me here is coaching me, and mom thinks that she's doing a really good job so I hope that you're proud of me up there too. At least, I want you to be."

Rachel's heart rate speeds up when she hears the way he talks about her. It's different, welcoming and warm.

"Mom hardly talks about you anymore, but she still gets that look on her face whenever I accidentally slip your name. We've been doing pretty good around here, so I don't know. I guess, all I wanted to say is seeing that its thanksgiving, I'm thankful that you and Mr Berrys have brought Rachel into our house. Everyone loves her here."

Rachel smiles at this, but then the next two words might have been the reason why she found herself barely breathing as he ended off.

"Including me."

Finn's not sure if he might be sending out the wrong message, but he says it anyway because when it comes to 'talking to his father', he speaks about nothing but the truth.

"So yeah, I miss you."

Then he opens his eyes and looks at the girl beside him. Her face was pink, little tears protruding from her cheeks. She sniffles a little, but comes to the conclusion that he was done so she hurriedly wipes her eyes.

Rachel offers a small smile because she doesn't really want to say anything. They looked at their hands placed neatly on the bed and quickly retreated before it got awkward.

He straightens his back, clears his throat, but in a more assertive manner now. Then, he turns his body around so that he could lean against the mattress. Her knees were still resting on the floor and she watches as he starts to unravel a side he never allowed anyone to discover before.

He tells her about everything he could remember about his dad. And so did she about hers. He listens very intently, and she appreciates him for that. She lets him know that sometimes, she cries herself to sleep just from the thought of them, and he nods but doesn't tell her that he does to. He explains that it's not about Burt being an awful dad, it's just that sometimes he just misses his biological dad and she tells him she knows exactly what he means.

It comforts them both, to know that they could confide in each other about these things because to their prior knowledge, they never thought they could share something in common but they evidently do now.

She remembers of that one time, when she returned home late and Carole couldn't stop panicking. He smiles, recollecting that night because even he was a little worried. She tells him, (even though he already knows this because he sits outside her room every night) it was the first time she felt what it might be like having a mother in her life and she just couldn't stop crying because it was when it hit her that this was a life now.

"I know I've said this a million times now, but your mother is just about the best one there is."

He agrees again, like he always does because its the truth. And he starts to tell her that ever since she started living with them, he begins to feel more responsible as well. Not that he wasn't used to caring for another lady, but it's that there was a protective kind of instinct that he develops after he sees that she was going to be in their home for good.

"Haven't you felt that way about Quinn?"

He shakes his head solemnly, explaining that Quinn always seemed to take matters into her own hands that sometimes, he feels a little redundant. Rachel's independent like that too, but she makes the effort to make Finn feel like a man sometimes, like her life needs him.

She blushes a lot when he says this, because it is already out there that she has just about the biggest crush on him. But he doesn't mind. Instead, he starts to nudge her shoulder and jokes about how that's either the role of the boyfriend or an older brother anyway. And if he had a choice, he wouldn't opt for the latter cause it just makes him feel senior-ly.

Rachel wants to think that he's flirting a little, but she also reminds herself that he would never fall in love with a girl like her. So she just changes the subject very quickly. She tells him about her performances, and that she gets nervous all the time while he tells her it's pretty much the same thing before a big game.

And that very night, was the beginning of many in which they spend hours just talking about everything.

* * *

Mm, chapter 16! I hope this makes up for the lack of updates! Happy upcoming weekend to everyone ;) Much love, xx


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